Book cover-easel combination

ABSTRACT

Preferrably made of a one-piece blank of relatively stiff paper material, a book cover when unfolded, forms a horizontal tube structure comprising rear and bottom walls and a front upwardly, rearwardly slanted panel to support a book. This front panel has two full-height slits, spaced equally from each side edge respectively, and two side flaps swung to lie on its undersurface and extending beyond the slits respectively; the marginal lanes of the distal edge of each flap being pasted to the underside of the front panel, only between the slits, thereby forming pockets, the slits being the entrances thereto respectively for the book&#39;&#39;s cover panels.

United States Patent 1 Slanhoff 1 Jan.2, 1973 [54] BOOK COVER-EASELCOMBINATION [76] inventor: Bertram Slanhofl, 1243 Post Road,

Scarsdale, NY. 10583 I221 Filed: Nov. 30, 1970 2: Appl. No.: 93,561

Primary Examiner-Robert W. Michell Assistant Examiner-J. H. Wolff Attorney-James J. Connor 57 ABSTRACT Preferrably made of a one-piece blank of relatively stiff paper material, a book cover when unfolded, forms a horizontal tube structure comprising rear and bottom walls and a front upwardly, rearwardly slanted panel to support a book. This front panel has two fullheight slits, spaced equally from each side edge respectively, and two side flaps swung to lie on its undersurface and extending beyond the slits respectively; the marginal lanes of the distal edge of each flap being pasted to the underside of the front panel, only between the slits, thereby forming pockets, the slits being the entrances thereto respectively for the books cover panels.

1 Claim, 8 Drawing Figures PA'TE'N'TEDJM" 21915 ill"! INVENTOR. Bertram Slonhoff,

ATTORNEY.

BOOK COVER-EASEL COMBINATION The present invention relates to a combination book cover and easel of the type set forth in my US. Pat. No. 3,367,679 which shows a normally fitting paper cover for a book, which when the book is opened and should the user desire, said cover can be manipulated to present an easel structure to support the book on a desk or table surface on which the covered book and its easel can be slid from place to place, or lifted and set down anywhere, always as a unit and without change in the erected condition of the easel. When set up to use as an easel, the item comprised a horizontally positioned tubular form having a back wall, a floor wall, and a rearwardly upward slanted front wall, the front wall having swung-in side flaps over its front surface, each such flap being a sleeve receiving the free end portions of the books cover panels. To have each sleeve, required the one-piece blank of which the entire item was made, to include three swingable flaps at each side edge of such blank. The provision of the material for said front-positioned sleeve flaps, the labor involved in their making, and the bulk they added in the thickness of the item, became factors which needed correction, in order to manufacture and ship these items at a minimum cost.

It is therefore the principal object of this invention to provide a combination book-cover and easel which is of simple and novel construction and an improvement in the means and manner of receiving and holding the book panels, and cheaper to manufacture and slimmer in bulk, as compared with my said former item. In my new item, no part thereof overlaps the front surface of the front wall of the easel. There are no exposed swingable flaps or sleeves which might accidentally be torn off, appearance is neat and plain, and instead of three flaps which made up one sleeve, only a single flap is now required at each side of the blank to make the novel pocket structure I now provide for holding the book panels. The flap material now needed for the purpose mentioned, has been reduced by more than half, and the aggregate thickness of the item when folded, has been reduced by four thicknesses of the stiff paper stock used to make this item.

Still another object thereof is to provide a novel and improved book-cover and easel combination of the character described, having the mentioned attributes of economy and simplicity, and which is efficient in carrying out the purposes for which it is designed. I

Other objects and advantages will become apparent as this disclosure proceeds.

For one practice of this invention, the article comprisesa horizontally positioned triangular tube structure made of a relatively heavy paper having a fair degree of stiffness; one wall of said tube serving as a base, the rear wall serving as an easel leg, and the front wall which slants upwardly rearwardly, serving to support an open book. The lower end of the easel leg is unattached. A flap extending upwardly from the rearward end of the base and lying against the rear surface of the leg, is hinged to said leg. The lower edge of the leg rests in the vertex of the dihedral angle made by the base and said flap. Dimensions are chosen that said tube can be folded flat whereupon the leg is intermediate the front and base panels; said flap having been moved a half turn so that the vertex line of said I panel has two full-height slits, spaced equally from each side edge respectively, and two side flaps swung to lie against the undersurface of said front panel and extending beyond the slits respectively. The marginal lane of the distal edge of each flap is pasted to the underside of the front panel, only between the slits whereby pockets are formed; the slits being the entrances thereto respectively for the distal end regions of the cover panels of a book. Said tubular structure so folded, automatically folds itself along the heightwise edges of the book back, when the book is closed.

In the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

FIG. I shows a blank for making a preferred embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the blank bent into partially erected form.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the item fully completed and set to serve as an easel for a book it shall carry. This is a front view of the item.

FIG. 4 is a view like FIG. 3, including the book mounted in position.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the item of FIG. 3, showing a rear view thereof.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken at line 6-6 in FIG. 4, but showing the book cover panels in position about to be entered into the pockets provided for them. This view is not to scale.

FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic representation in the nature of a geometric figure of an end view of the easel in near-fully collapsed condition. This will be used in explain the relationships of the components by reference to letters also indicated elsewhere in the drawing.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the preferred article herein illustrated, in folded condition, serving as an ordinary book cover; the book being included in this view.

In the drawing, the numeral 15 designates generally an ordinary book whose pages 16 are between the panels usually termed the book lids l7 and 18 which are hinged respectively along the heightwise edges of the book back 19. The cover-easel combination for said book, is designated generally by the numeral 20, which is made of heavy-weight paper material having some stiffness and resilient quality, and comprises a jacket for said book','whose lid-covering portions 21,22 and back-covering portion 23, constitute one wall or panel 24 of a horizontally positioned triangular tube 25, whose other walls are the panels indicated generally by the numeral 26 and 27 respectively. The panel 26 serves as the easel leg. The panel 27 is the base to rest on a desk or table top surface. The book-supporting front panel 24, as is evident, slants upwardly rearwardly, and along each side edge of said front panel, there is a flap. These flaps 28 and 29, are swung to lie against the undersurface of said front panel and extend respectively beyond the heightwise slits 30, 31 in said front panel, which are equi-distant from the side edges of said front panel. These flaps are secured to said front panel's undersurface, as for instance by being pasted thereto, only in regions between said two slits 30,31. These slits are for the admission of the distal free end portions of the lids l7 and 18 respectively, into the pockets 32 and 33 offered by this construction; such slits being the entrances into such pockets. The numerals 34 and 35 are paste lanes on the flaps 28 and 29, at their distal edges.

It is preferred that the tube structure 25 shall be of triangular cross section and of a construction capable of being folded flat against the undersurface of its front panel 24 and within the confines thereof. Same may be provided for by having the lower edge of the leg panel 26 unattached. A flap comprising the segments 36, extends in back of the leg panel, upwardly from the rear edge of the base panel 27. The upper edges of the front panel 24 and the leg panel 26, are hingedly associated. The lower edge of the front panel 24 and the forward edge of the base panel 27 are hingedly associated. The rearward edge of the base panel 27 and the lower edges of the segmental flaps 36, are hingedly associated. The upper edges of these segmental flaps are hingedly associated with the leg panel 26, intermediate the top and bottom edges of the leg panel. The lower edge of the leg panel rests engaged in the vertex of the dihedral angle formed by the base panel27 and the segmental flaps 36. The flaps 28 and 29 are hinged to the front panel 24. I

A book is associated with the item 20, in the manner illustrated in FIG. 6, namely, the lid 17 is slid into the slit 30,'and the lid 18 is slid into the slit 31. The book is thus mounted in assembly association with the item which serves as an easel therefor as shown in FIG. 4. The book is in open condition, resting against the front panel 24. When the book is'to be put away, or carried in closed condition, the leg panel 26 is shifted towards the book 15, and the floor panel 27 is swung upwardly forwardly towards the book. Now, the segmental flap 36, will be between the legpanel 26 and the floor panel 27, for such flap will have made a half turn in counter-clockwise direction, and the item 20 has assumed flattened condition. Now, upon closing the book, all the panels will automatically fold and be aroundthe book, so the entire item 20 becomes and appears as a book cover as shown in FIG. 8. When the covered book is opened, all the plies of the item 20 thereon, will flatten and remain in superposed position. In'such condition, and when the book is closed, the

' item 20'serves as the books cover. If it is desired to support the book as on an easel, the user merely reestablish'es the triangular tubular structure 25, as shown in FIGS. 3,4 and 5.

This construction of combination book-cover and easel, may be made of a single blank shown in FIG. 1. Here,'all dash-dot lines indicate scored fold lines, and all numerals indicate the particular rectangle in which they are enclosed respectively. For convenience, some of the rectangles are indicated with letters at their respective verticies, as is usual in geometry.

The rectangle ABCD will serve as the front panel 24 of the item 20, and in view in FIG. 1, is the front surface of such panel. The rectangle. CDGlI-will be the base panel 27, the bottom surface of which is in view in FIG. 1. The rectangle or preferably the isoseles trapezoid GNPH offers the material'for the segmental flap 36. Said panel 24 is intermediate and contiguous with the panels 26 and 27, and comprises the rectangular portions 21 and 22, intermediate which is the central rectangular portion 23, in contiguous relation. The

panels 26,24 and 27, follow one another along the height of the blank. The portions 21,23 and 22, follow one another along the width of the blank. From the side AD, extends the flap 28. From the side BC, extends the flap 29. These flaps are bent to lie against the undersurface of the front panel 24. The boundary score lines of the portion 23, extend to the edges of the blank. GR is also a fold line. Line R is also a fold line, to determine the hinge axis of the connection of the segmental flap 36 with the leg 26. In FIG. 1, the numerals 34 and 35 designate glue lanes on back of the blank, along the distal edges of the respective flaps 28 and 29, to paste such flaps margins onto the undersurface of the panel 24, clear of the slits 30 and 31, at regions between such 1 slits which are equidistant from the side edges of the front panels 24, and in said front panel the full height thereof; said flaps 28, 29 extending beyond said slits respectively. Also in FIG. 1, the numeral 37 indicate glue lanes on the frontsurface of the blank to secure the flap 36 onto leg panel 36 to provide the hinge line R.

The partial folding of the blank being shown in FIG. 2-which is a rear view, the completion of the manufacture of the item 20 to its fully, erected condition as cover as in FIG. 8, the edge Gl-I shall coincide with the edge AB. To accomplishthis, AD will need equal DG. Also, RG will need equal RA. AF is made to suit to at tain the desired degree of slope of the front panel 24, whose dimensions are chosen to fit the book 15, so that the rectangle 23 shall serve as the book s back covering position, and the rectangles 30 and 31 shall seeve as the book's lids covering positions respectively. To ease folding the blank and in conversion to and from easel or book cover form, it is suggested that the blank shall be provided with small punched holes as 41- at the verticies of the book's back covering portion 23, and though not shown, also at the verticies-A, B, C and D, where a hole punch would make a notch.

The item 20 may be made of pressboard,oak tag, or

other heavy paper stock having some rigid and resilient quality, or of suitable plastic sheeting.

This invention is capable of numerous forms and various applications without departing from the essential features herein disclosed. It is therefore intended and desired that the embodiment shown herein shall be deemed merely illustrative and not restrictive and that the patent shall cover'all patentable novelty herein set forth; reference being had to the following claims rather than to the specific showing and description herein, to indicate the scope of this invention.

Iclaim:

1. In a book cover-easel combination, a book cover flaps portions so that when the structure is folded made of relatively stiff and resilient paper sheeting, or to form a triangular tube or easel the flap portions the like, and adopted to form a horizontally positionaare attached to the external surface of the leg ble triangular tubular structure, comprising: panel;

a rectangular base panel adapted to rest on a 5 first and second flap elements hingedly connected horizontal surface; along the minor opposite edges of said front panel,

a rectangular front panel, hingedly connected along glue lanes along the distal free edges of said flap one major edge of said base panel and adapted to lie flat against said base panel or to slant rearwardly and upwardly away from said one edge; rectangular leg panel hingedly connected to the upper edge of said front panel and adapted to lie against said front panel or to fold downwardly toward the opposite major edge of said base panel when said front panel is slanted upwardly from said base panel;

at least two trapezoidal flap portions, each being hingedly connected to the opposite major edge of said base panel, said flap portions being adapted to exi tend upwardly to cover a portion of the external surface of said leg panel, adhesive means adjacent the distal free edges of said flap portions, said adhesive means being located on one side of said elements whereby these elements are adapted to be secured to the back surface of said front panel; 1

and 7 said front panel having two spaced slits, parallel to the minor edges of said front panel and located adjacent the minor edges of said panel so that the slits lie between the respective glue lanes and the hinged edge of each of said flap elements when the flap elements are attached to the back of said face panel so as to form two pockets within said front panel adapted to receive opposite lid portions of a book and adapted to retain a book to said front panel when said cover is in its closed folded position and also when the front panel and leg panel are opened out to form a triangular easel, 

1. In a book cover-easel combination, a book cover made of relatively stiff and resilient paper sheeting, or the like, and adopted to form a horizontally positionable triangular tubular structure, comprising: a rectangular base panel adapted to rest on a horizontal surface; a rectangular front panel, hingedly connected along one major edge of said base panel and adapted to lie flat against said base panel or to slant rearwardly and upwardly away from said one edge; a rectangular leg panel hingedly connected to the upper edge of said front panel and adapted to lie against said front panel or to fold downwardly toward the opposite major edge of said base panel when said front panel is slanted upwardly from said base panel; at least two trapezoidal flap portions, each being hingedly connected to the opposite major edge of said base panel, said flap portions being adapted to extend upwardly to cover a portion of the external surface of said leg panel, adhesive means adjacent the distal free edges of said flap portions, said adhesive means being located on one side of said flaps portions so that when the structure is folded to form a triangular tube or easel the flap portions are attached to the external surface of the leg panel; first and second flap elements hingedly connected along the minor opposite edges of said front panel, glue lanes along the distal free edges of said flap elements whereby these elements are adapted to be secured to the back surface of said front panel; and said front panel having two spaced slits, parallel to the minor edges of said front panel and located adjacent the minor edges of said panel so that the slits lie between the respective glue lanes and the hinged edge of each of said flap elements when the flap elements are attached to the back of said face panel so as to form two pockets within said front panel adapted to receive opposite lid portions of a book and adapted to retain a book to said front panel when said cover is in its closed folded position and also when the front panel and leg panel are opened out to form a triangular easel. 